


When Smiling Hurts

by whizzer



Category: Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989)
Genre: First Meetings, M/M, no this is not a sad fic despite the title, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, they aren't actually together yet, what about it?, yes they are gay, yes they are in college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 03:42:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whizzer/pseuds/whizzer
Summary: The feeling of cheeks sore from smiling is not unwelcome in Egon's life.





	When Smiling Hurts

**Author's Note:**

> i know i only write in egons perspective i cant help it but im certainly not sorry  
> also this takes place roughly in 1965!

Peter Venkman was a pain in the ass. All. The. Time. But especially now. Peter, one of Egon's only friends currently, had invited him to a study session with a group of other students in the science field. Egon, studying for a major in physics, reluctantly obliged. Meeting new people was often overwhelming for him, but he trusted Peter somewhat to at least have reasonable friends. Egon had just gotten to the library, where the study group was to meet, and he could already feel his palms start to sweat with anxiety and his head throb with an oncoming headache. The door pushed open and he could already see the small congregation of students at a few tables they had pushed together. Egon stared for a few seconds, trying his best to analyze the situation around him.

Peter was there. And Peter was talking to a kid who looked a bit younger, around eighteen. There were about five or so others, but Peter and the kid he was talking to seemed invested in each other more than the others. Maybe this was good for Egon... He could handle this. He pushed forward and took a deep breath, but as he got closer he started to notice more about the kid than he did earlier. He had an awkwardly grown out haircut and a pair of thin, wire framed glasses that pronounced the mismatched eyes that were lit up in excitement as he spoke to Peter. The kid was chubby, with round, red cheeks that seemed to fit him perfectly when he smiled. He had an eager and excited smile, Egon noted. Like he was waiting for something. Or someone.

When Egon got close enough, he had just caught Peter's eye. Peter, who stood just a bit taller than the boy he was speaking too, turned quickly and waved. "Eges! Specs! Hey!" He let out a hearty laugh. Egon flinched and pushed up his glasses that fell down his nose. At Peter's exclamation, the boys attention was diverted to Egon, his eyes locked on him. Egon felt himself tense and he clutched the textbook that he carried tighter in his hands. The boy retained his eager smile turning his body fully toward him.

"You're Egon?" He asked. His voice was a bit squeaky and excited. "Dang! Peter was just telling me about you." He let out a small laugh. "I'm Raymond. But you can call me Ray, I mean, everyone else does here. Or they call my Stantz, but usually that's just professors." He began to ramble, obviously not noticing. As he continued, he started to speak faster and faster, visibly bouncing in time with the tempo of his words.

Egon could only just stare. He listened and once Ray finally slowed to a stop, he responded with an awkward looking smile. "Peter didn't tell me anything about you." He said bluntly and clenched his grip on the textbook. "I didn't know there was much to say about me, though." He raised an eyebrow and Peter responded with a scoff.

"So hard on yourself, Spengs." Peter chuckled. "This is Ray. He's in my psychology course." He grinnned. "I thought you two could get along. You both like the same weird nerd shit." He let out a small snicker and Ray looked over, his smile only brightening.

"Watch it, Venkman." Ray retorted with a gentle nudge to Peter's side. Peter over-dramatically gasped and he rolled his eyes.

"Like I said. Talk about your nerdy shit. I have a paper to write." He went to sit at one of the tables, suddenly leaving Egon to fend for himself in the conversation. He gave his friend a hesitant wave and went back to holding his textbook tight against his chest, hoping for some kind of comfort from it.

Before Egon could open his mouth to say anything, Ray suddenly was talking again. "Peter told me you're studying physics. That's amazing, see, I've never really been any good at math... Or science really. Except psychology. I like that the most... Plus I like the paranormal." Ray spoke with an excited grin the whole time. Egon began thinking his face must hurt from smiling so much, but he wouldn't complain. The smile made Egon's heart lift, but he probably wouldn't admit that. "Parapsychology is what I'm trying to study. Engineering too." He grinned. "But that'll be after this term." He shrugged and Egon simply nodded along. "Peter told me you liked the paranormal too!" Ray laughed, to which Egon responded with a very slow nod.

"I..." His voice cracked. Of course it did. His cheeks were flushed red as he cleared his throat to start over. "I'm interested, but haven't thought to study it." He said, his voice seeming somehow more monotone when juxtaposed to Ray's eager and pleasant tone. "Peter is only studying psychology because he thinks he can pick up women easier like that." When he spoke, he stared down at the ground. He took notice of the old looking shoes that Ray wore, paired with the beat up denim jeans he adorned.

At Egon's comment, Ray let out a loud snort followed by a burst of giggles, making Egon's lips curl into a small smile. "I'm not surprised.." Ray finally got out once his giggles had died down. "He seems kind of sleazy. But at least he has good taste in friends. You're funny, Egon." Egon noticed that Ray's eyes twinkled when he smiled. Egon never noticed these things usually. But he liked what he did notice in Ray. And he liked getting complimented by Ray. It seemed he liked a lot about him, but he didn't have the right response.

Egon took a seat slowly at the end of the table, gesturing hesitantly for Ray to follow him. Egon sat and set down his things, and Ray was quick to take the seat right beside him. "You know, Egon, I could use someone like you!" He grinned. "I'm good at building.. you're good at the rest of it." He snickered. "We both like the paranormal. See? This friendship is already going places!" He spoke excitedly.

When Ray talked, Egon couldn't imagine a time before he knew that voice. It seemed so familiar all of a sudden. He hadn't really clicked with anyone like he did with Ray before. His eagerness and excitement wasn't annoying to Egon, it was admirable. It made him smile.

Egon spent the majority of the study time listening to Ray spout off facts about the paranormal and all of his future plans. He occasionally chimed in with ideas they could create together, to which Ray would always agree. In that time, Egon smiled more than he had in months, as Peter had put it later that night. Egon could feel it too. He felt it in his cheeks, that were feeling just a bit sore after he had gotten back to his dorm. The soreness was not unwelcome though. Egon knew he could get used to it.

 

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/278378820700782786/ king aykroyd  
> also i wrote this at 2 am so dont @ me if it sucked ive had too much caffeine for my own good


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